


Impulse Function

by Fire_Bear



Series: PrUK Week 2018 [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Day 1, First Kiss, Kissing, M/M, Mutual Pining, PrUK Week 2018, Studying, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-20 05:31:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14888549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Bear/pseuds/Fire_Bear
Summary: Gilbert has long since fallen for the teaching assistant in his Maths class so he's overjoyed to find himself alone with Arthur for extra help. But how will Gilbert concentrate when Arthur is right there, next to him?





	Impulse Function

**Author's Note:**

> An impulse function is a mathematical term which means... a mathematical function of an infinitely high amplitude and infinitesimal duration. I have no idea what that is but that's why this is about a Maths class and a Maths teaching assistant.
> 
> Arthur is 21 and Gilbert is 18.

Gilbert honestly couldn’t believe his luck.

It had taken Gilbert a month to build up the courage to ask for help after the last class of a Monday. He didn’t do it often - he knew his friends would become suspicious and his teacher would want to put him down a level. But he needed to pass this class with a high enough mark to get into the college of his choice.

Normally, when he asked for extra help with his Maths problems, the teacher would sit at his desk and watch his teaching assistant help Gilbert. Now, though, Mr. Greuben had had to leave to go to his son’s birthday party and, for the first time, Gilbert was alone with the teaching assistant. His heart was pounding, and he was sure his harsh breaths were audible. Yet, he felt light as a feather, giddy at the thought of being with the man. It was probably affecting his concentration and, of course, it didn’t go unnoticed.

“Are you going to write it down or are you trying to work it out in your head?” Arthur Kirkland asked, glancing at Gilbert from the side of his reading glasses.

The sight made Gilbert’s heart stop, completely floored by how attractive the teaching assistant was. Not a new reaction for Gilbert as he frequently felt overwhelmed with the attraction he felt towards him. Gilbert had actually been floored by him the first day he’d seen him. Arthur had messy blond hair that he’d attempted to tame the first few days, slicking it back out of his eyes. But his nerves had gotten the better of him and, as their class had worn on, his hair had only grown messier. His eyes were a bright green, piercing Gilbert’s very being every time their eyes met. Lean as he was, Gilbert thought his ass was illegal; every time he bent over to help someone on the other side of Gilbert, he had had to force himself to stop staring. And, over time, Arthur had proven to be not only an excellent teacher, but a brilliant person. He was kind and patient, though stern and didn’t take any of the rowdier kids’ nonsense.

Realising that he was staring, Gilbert blinked and looked down. “Ah, uh, yeah, sorry. Just… trying to remember if I’ve studied enough for my English exam.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow, looking mildly amused. “And here I am, trying to teach you Maths. Try to concentrate on this just now, or you’ll forget it all.”

“Right!” said Gilbert and started working his way through the equation.

There was another reason that Gilbert was finding it difficult to concentrate. Instead of keeping Gilbert’s desk between them as he usually did, Arthur had dragged a chair over and now sat right beside him. When he was explaining things, Arthur would lean over into Gilbert’s space and he stopped breathing for seconds at a time. If Gilbert encountered a problem with Mr. Greuben around, Arthur would show him the working on the board. It was far enough away that Gilbert could look at that instead of Arthur’s eyelashes, gently brushing his cheeks as he blinked. Or the way his cheekbones jutted out from under his glasses.

“No, Gilbert,” said Arthur with a sigh. Before Gilbert could react, Arthur reached for his hand, the one holding his pen, and held it still. Gilbert was sure he would have made a squealing noise if he had had the breath.

“Wha-?” Gilbert managed when Arthur let it go almost immediately. Apparently, he had been trying to get Gilbert to stop writing as, looking down, Gilbert saw that he had been writing out the wrong equation after substituting in the numbers. He grimaced and put his pen down. _Get a grip_ , he told himself, firmly.

“Are you okay?” Arthur asked, making Gilbert jerk his head up to look at him. His pretty eyes were gazing at him with concern. “Have you been getting enough sleep?”

“Yeah, sorry, um,” said Gilbert, quickly. He didn’t want Arthur to send him home for some sleep. It was nearing the end of the school year and then they’d both be gone, Arthur to finish his own course and Gilbert to another college. This could very well be the first, last and only time he’d get Arthur to himself.

There was so much he wanted to do and say.

Like how he’d been hoping and praying that he’d applied to the right colleges, that he would manage to get into one that was at least close to Arthur’s. How he wished every night that he was a little older, that he’d met Arthur when he was in high school, that he could be part of his stories instead of just listening to him. He wanted to tell him how he’d imagined going to the movies or the zoo or a theme park with him, just to see Arthur’s face, hear his opinions. But, most of all, there was something important he really wanted to tell him, though he wasn’t sure how to.

After all, he would regret it if he never told Arthur that he loved him.

“To be honest,” Arthur suddenly said, jolting Gilbert from his thoughts, “this will probably only be used once in the exam and I already saw you do it earlier. Let’s move onto something different.”

“Oh, okay,” said Gilbert, weakly. His heart was beating far too fast. Was now the best time to do it? What should he say?

“Is there anything else you’d like to know?” Arthur asked, tilting his head slightly as he smiled encouragingly at Gilbert.

That, Gilbert realised, was his opening. The one thing he wanted to know right then, was whether he had a chance, or if Arthur only saw him as a kid. Or if he wasn’t interested at all. Gilbert had to do something, though, or else he’d go crazy.

So, without truly thinking it through, Gilbert twisted in his seat so that he was facing Arthur fully. Arthur seemed surprised, blinking at him. It was really unfair how beautiful the man was, how nice he smelled, like tea and roses. He didn’t move as Gilbert reached forward, though his eyes widened as Gilbert’s fingers brushed against the edge of his glasses. There was no other response so Gilbert gently, carefully, slipped the black, thin-framed tool from Arthur’s face. Placing them on the desk, Gilbert kept his eyes on Arthur, taking in all the different shades of green his eyes seemed to hold.

Arthur didn’t seem to react, merely staring back at him. Gilbert took this as a good sign. He reached up and let his fingers trail over Arthur’s cheekbones before he gently cupped Arthur’s face. The only reaction he got was Arthur’s lips parting in surprise. That seemed like an invitation to Gilbert and he took it, leaning towards Arthur. Their eyes held each other’s gazes the entire way, Arthur’s widening further as he watched Gilbert grow closer. Finally, though, their lips were pressed together, and Gilbert let his eyes close in bliss.

Since this was the first time Gilbert had ever kissed someone, he wasn’t entirely sure what to do. But he’d seen enough films and TV to know that he had to tilt his head and move his lips. Hesitantly, his motions almost jerky, Gilbert did just that, kissing Arthur just a little more. Arthur didn’t stop him, but he didn’t move with Gilbert, either. Gilbert was just wondering if he should stop when Arthur shifted slightly and started to kiss back.

Happy, Gilbert tried to press closer, his tongue trying to wet his lips to ease his nerves. Only, his tongue ran along Arthur’s, too, and the teaching assistant gasped, parting his lips again. Despite not being confident, Gilbert pushed his tongue into Arthur’s mouth, the tip of it running along the length of Arthur’s. Arthur made a little noise as he did that, his hand coming up to grip Gilbert’s forearm.

Heart beating faster, Gilbert tried to move his body closer. He forgot for a moment that he was on a chair and he almost toppled into Arthur’s lap before he caught himself on the edge of it. Unfortunately, his knee banged against the leg of the desk and he winced, pulling away ever so slightly to gasp in surprise. At the same instant, a clattering noise made Arthur flinch away from him, looking around in a daze.

Gilbert saw the moment that Arthur remembered where they were. His eyes, half-lidded from the kiss, flew open, wider than before. Then, horror-stricken, he turned his gaze back to Gilbert. Not wanting him to go, Gilbert reached out for him, biting his lip. Had this been a mistake? No. No, it couldn’t be. That had been the most amazing feeling in the world, Gilbert decided, and he never wanted to forget it. Not the way Arthur’s soft lips moved against his, not the noises Arthur made, not the swooping feeling in his stomach as Gilbert felt how _right_ this was.

“Gil-” Arthur whispered.

“Arthur, I-” Gilbert started.

Before he could finish, Arthur shot to his feet. “I… I have to go.” He turned to push the chair back under the neighbouring desk.

“What? But, Arthur- You’re supposed to be helping me!” Gilbert protested.

Turning back to him, Arthur levelled him with a stern look. “You don’t need me, Gilbert,” he said, sounding a little sad, almost. Gilbert almost surged up to hug him and reassure him that he _did_ need Arthur. He didn’t get that far: Arthur gave him a small smile which made the breath rush out of him. “You never needed this. This… extra tutoring.”

“Wha-? Yes, I did!” Gilbert found himself gripping the edge of his desk tightly, willing Arthur to sit back down, to sit beside him.

“No, you didn’t. All this stuff I’ve been teaching you, you always seem to understand it without much of an explanation.” Arthur looked away. “But I did it anyway,” he added, quietly.

Without waiting for his reaction, Arthur snatched up his glasses and strode away, heading for the door. Gilbert scrambled to his feet. “Wait!” he cried. “I don’t- You can’t just leave me- Not _now_ !” He could feel the panic rising within him. Had he ruined everything? Should he have waited till after graduation? Gilbert didn’t want this to be the last time he interacted with Arthur. And what about his exams? How could he possibly concentrate on them _now_?

Thankfully, Arthur paused at the door. But Gilbert’s hopes were dashed when Arthur only turned enough to look at him out of the corner of his eye. “You’re going to be brilliant, Gilbert,” he said, softly. “At least, in this class. You’ve gone far beyond what any other student has done. You want to be a mechanical engineer, right?” When Gilbert nodded, Arthur smiled, though it didn’t fully reach his eyes. “I know you’ll do well. But we can’t continue this.” He paused and turned his head a little more, frowning at Gilbert. “After everything we’ve done, don’t you dare let me down.” And, with that, he disappeared.

Staring at where Arthur had just been, Gilbert gaped after him. He had just lost Arthur’s attentions. Despair filled him. Yet, at the same time, he felt… determined. If Arthur had such faith in him, he couldn’t mess his exams up. Still, his heart was clenching and he dropped back into his seat, clutching at his chest and staring down at his fallen pen.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry too much. Gilbert ends up at the same college as Arthur and, after some angsty moments, they definitely get together. ^.^ (Though they probably fudge how they meant when people ask.)


End file.
